Looking for what folks would choose for magnification and optic diameter for western big game no more than 500 yards. Please feel free to add why and what scope you use in the comments.
What scope power magnification/diameter for western big game up to 500 yard shots?
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Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
None of these. I would go with 3-18 X 50
4-25x50
Tract Toric. Nice optic !!
I especially like the Large Numbers on the Locking elevation turret. Old eyes appreciate that feature, also lots of travel.
Finally a scope with all the features & quality I like in an optic.
Stout build, Great Glass, Clear & Crisp throughout the entire power range. excellent positive tactile controls, Zero stop, precise dialing & RtZ, excellent parallax control & numbered graduations 15yds to infinity, Great useable reticle throughout power range, illuminated reticle with 10 position dial control with off setting between each,
(No push button! No halo effect ! )
Independent focus control, capped windage.
4x on the low end good for close & 25x on high end there when you need it.
Great value for the Quality.
Tract Toric. Nice optic !!
I especially like the Large Numbers on the Locking elevation turret. Old eyes appreciate that feature, also lots of travel.
Finally a scope with all the features & quality I like in an optic.
Stout build, Great Glass, Clear & Crisp throughout the entire power range. excellent positive tactile controls, Zero stop, precise dialing & RtZ, excellent parallax control & numbered graduations 15yds to infinity, Great useable reticle throughout power range, illuminated reticle with 10 position dial control with off setting between each,
(No push button! No halo effect ! )
Independent focus control, capped windage.
4x on the low end good for close & 25x on high end there when you need it.
Great value for the Quality.
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Added
For big game my two main scopes are 3.5-10x40 Leo's with M1's on top. For out to 500 I can easily pick my spot on a critter with them! Only place I could envision wanting more would be in the brush in Sonora for Coues but I don't guide down there anymore and I haven't hunted down there forever......
Sometimes less is more. Just remember that you're probably going to be hiking steep terrain and that oz= pain. And having a large magnification is nice until you shoot and then you can't find the animal fast enough for a second shot because your field of view is much to small for running game. Just from experience watching others. The 3x9 scope was a standard for many many years in western hunting. And some people thought a fixed 6 was all anyone really needed.. I did vote for the 4x12 however.
Rick Richard
Well-Known Member
Thanks
IMO it depends on the country one is hunting and where the critters are situated when the time to shoot comes. In Sonora without the 6.5-20 Leo's that were standard use back in the day there were more than a few 110 class bucks that would of been much safer.........
Open country nothing blocking them and yeah 9 is enough for me and my eyes and the my eyes part is key.
I don't mind a 6X on elk but for me I want more X's to pick a spot on a deer or lope as the range gets long.
Hand Skills
Well-Known Member
I have a 3-12 and a 3-15 that I find to be plenty.
In my experience, optical quality trumps magnification, meaning I'd rather have a 3-12 with good glass than a cheap 5-25.
In my experience, optical quality trumps magnification, meaning I'd rather have a 3-12 with good glass than a cheap 5-25.
I voted 3-15X44, but I'd take 3-18 as well. I like lower power on the bottom end, and usually won't buy anything that starts above 4X. If I'm hunting with a scope that starts at 6X, it is a fixed scope. I also prefer objectives in the 40-44mm range over 50mm.
There are a lot of optics to choose from that'll work for what you're talking about. I like good glass as well, but a scope that tracks reliably, RTZ, and holds zero is more important. It really boils down to features you want and budget.
There are a lot of optics to choose from that'll work for what you're talking about. I like good glass as well, but a scope that tracks reliably, RTZ, and holds zero is more important. It really boils down to features you want and budget.
My highest mag for my HUNTING scope is 3-15 VX-5 and 4-16 Husky on 2 long rifles. The rest are 2-7, 2-10, 2-12, 3-12 kind of mag ranges.
These scopes are on everything from 223 to 300 Win Mag.
I regularly take them out for cold bore shots at 400, 500 or 600 and have no problems with those scope mag ranges.
My LRF Binos are for looking.
These scopes are on everything from 223 to 300 Win Mag.
I regularly take them out for cold bore shots at 400, 500 or 600 and have no problems with those scope mag ranges.
My LRF Binos are for looking.
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Mountain Sloth
Well-Known Member
I personally go with 3-15 or 4-16 depending on the optic and how much I'm looking to spend.
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
With the exception of my new AR Pistol truck gun for coyotes running a 1-8x24, which will be limited to about 350-400max (and realistically more like 250 max), here is a list of my scope magnifications on hunting rifles that ALL easily shoot to 1K and beyond, and most of them are shot monthly out to 1400. To me, 15x is plenty for a hunting scope out to 1K. But, QUALITY of that scope is paramount for a hunting scope. Durability, tracking/RTZ, and glass quality/light transmission.
2 @ 2.5-20x50
7 @ 3-15x50
1 @ 3-18x50
1 @ 3-20x50
2 @ 4-20x50
1 @ 4.5-28x52 Wide Angle
1 @ 5-20x50
1 @ 5-25x56
2 @ 2.5-20x50
7 @ 3-15x50
1 @ 3-18x50
1 @ 3-20x50
2 @ 4-20x50
1 @ 4.5-28x52 Wide Angle
1 @ 5-20x50
1 @ 5-25x56
marksman1941
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- May 20, 2013
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above 3/4x it's hard to make fast close range shots, which I think you need to have the ability to make. And a 3 pound scope isn't ideal. My swaro z6 2-12 was ideal; close range was a cinch, but 12x with high quality glass was fine for 500+
